Musical instrument



March 11, 1930. G. CLOETENS MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 26, 1927 March 11, 1930. G. CLOETENS 1,750,572

MUSI CAL INSTRUMENT Filed Sept. 26, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 4.

Fig.6.

LL 77 re rf/Zr Patented Mar. 11 1930 UNITED STATES GEORGES CLOETENS, OF BRUSSELS, BELGIUM MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Application filed September 26, 1927, Serial No. 222,131, and in Belgium April 30, 1927.

The object of: this invention is-to provide a device for enabling awhole series of diiierent notes, and or" dilierent pitch to be obtained by means of a single string.

The invention is based on the following fact. Assuming that atensioned-string is of length la1b- (Fig. 1). If at any suitable point ot'this string there is applied a short blow, which is the casein a piano for example, a single note is obtained which depends upon thelength of the string and not upon the point at which the blow is applied. It at a point-1d ofthestring a prolonged blow is applied, that is to'say if contact between the hammer and the string is maintained for a certain time after the blow, the string will give at the 'sametime two difierent notes, one depending upon the length 1alcZ of the string, the other depending. upon the length 1(Z1Zi of the string, and consequently each ofth'ese notes will depend upon the point at which the blow is applied. It thus results that if prolonged blows are appliedto the string successively at the points 1d, If, lg, 1hv the string will produce two distinct scales, one ascending andthe other descending.

It may also bementioned that when the prolonged blow ceases the string vibrates along its whole lengthand gives a single note (as in an-ordinary piano) H at one of the. ends of the tensioned string thereis placed a damper Qj it will be understood that the length of the string included between this end and the point of the prolonged blow will not vibrate andconsequently by applying successively to the points 1d, 17', 1g, 1J5 prolonged blows there will be obtained a scale of different notes, but this scale will.

be; obtained with a single string which is entirely novel.

Another object of. the invention is to provide devices enabling this property to be used;

, The apparatus consists essentially of a. sound box and a tenslon'e'd string. The sound section of this string may be of any suitable character and may vary in any suitable manner from one end to the other of the string. The string may be replaced by a rod, a blade, aband or the like without departing from the scope of the present invention for this purpose.

For strengthening the tone it: is possible, according to the present invention, to combine two or more'sound boxes.

The accompanying drawings show solely by way ofexample and not in a limiting sense perspective views of diagrams of apparatus constructed according to the present invention. The same references indicate the same elements in all the figures.

Figure 1 illustrates an apparatus in which the tension string is provided above the sound box. Between the box and the string are disposed members, preferably-of metal, which when actingupon the keys of the keyboard" strike the string.

Figure 2 illustrates an'apparatus in which thestring is provided underneath the sound box.

Figure 3 shows an apparatus in which the string is provided above the box. The members which strike the string are operated from the keys of a' keyboard by means of a member referred to as a' pusher.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6, represent in the ordernamed, views, the first two being in perspective whilethe last named is in side elevation, of a percussive hammer, a plucking device and a modified form of the vibrating string.

In thesefigures a string 1 is tensioned above or underneath the sound box 2. One of the ends of the string is secured in a permanent manner to-the box by a pin or fixed bolt 2a, whilst the other end is secured in Figs. 2 and 3 by means of a tuning key 25 which enables the tension of the string to be adjusted. It will be understood that these keys may be arranged in the reverse manner. In Figure 1 the tuning key 2?) is replaced by a lever 2d held inits normal position by a spring 2;. This lever pivots about a fixed point 2g. It will be understood that the spring 27' may be replaced by any other device fulfilling the same purpose. It will be seen that the tension of the string is modified according to the key 3 of the keyboard which strikes the string, the keyboard being, if desired, provided with adjusting screws. It will also be understood that the lever 2d may be placed above the keys, but then on the other side of the pivot 3a of the said keys, whilst the string may be attached to the other end of the lever 2d. The keys 3 whilst controlling the striking of the string therefore permit of portamento or the deportamento by the keyboard.

The vibrating length of the string may be limited by the stationary bridge 2m and the movable bridge 27s.. The string is preferably struck by members 3?) preferably of metal, (in Figure 3 these members 3?) pivot about the points 3f) and receive their movement from the keys 3 pivoting at 3a about a shaft or a spindle. In Figure 3 this movement is transmitted by means of pushers 3d of which the ends may be screw threaded so as to enable the length to be adjusted.

In order that the string will only produce a single note at a time a movable damper may be provided of any suitable type such as that shown at 2 Finally a free length of string 1y'15 may be provided on which it is possible to act by means of a bow, plectrum, jack, hammer, a colophony roller, these devices being adapted to be actuated either mechanically,

neumatically, electrically, or by hand etc.

y rubbing, blowing or striking directly on the string or through the medium of keys there are imparted to the string the necessary lengths for obtaining the note required. It will be understood that instead of a single sound box it is possible to use two or more than two sound boxes, coming into contact one with the other, in such a manner as to amplify the sound.

It will also be understood that instead of using a single string, two or more than two parallel or substantially parallel strings may be used giving notes of different pitch.

With such an instrument and by means of a very reduced keyboard it is possible to produce all the simple and octave exercises, all the simple and octavi trills, all the simple and octave arpeggio, all the simple and octave appoggiatura, all the simple and octave scales, all arpeggio passages of bass and higher songs (separately or simultaneously).

By means of a how it is possible to obtain the tone of a stringed instrument. By means of a plectrum it is possible to obtain the tone of a mandoline.

For obtaining the sound of a harpsichord, spinet, etc. it sufiices to touch the string with member 3?) (by percussion).

For obtaining the sound of a piano the per cussion is etlected by means of ordinary felt covered hammers. For obtaining the sound ot' a wooden block 5 secured to the sounding board 2 for example.

The rod l, placed near the bridge lb may be actuated at any point whatever by the fluctuating pressure or" the finger, or any mechanism, not shown, the flexibility of the rod per- -mitting it to pass below and above the string 1.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modification of the stringl, it being formed 01" a metallic triangular bar, the section of which tapers and which ends in a cylindrical portion 1d.

For obtaining the sound of a violin or viola the string lj and 1b is acted upon by means of a bow or colophony wheel.

F or, obtaining the sound of a Hawaiian guitar it suffices to actbetween 1j and 16 by means of acolophony wheel or cylinder at the same time, as the tension of the string is acted upon for example .by means of the lever 2d. r 1-, 7

The portamento is .also obtained by the variable tension by means of the lever 2d for example.

These devices, by tensioning the string (or vibrating part) more or less enable a given scale to be transposed in all the toneswhilst using the same fingering.

What I claim is:

1. The method of operating a musicalinstrumenton a single string, actuated by percussive elements from an ordinary keyboard, comprising, striking the string percussively, and maintaining the percussive element in contact with the string, long enough after the moment of percussion to inhibit the vibration of the string as a whole, so as to cause the complementary parts of the string determined by the point of percussive contact to emit, simultaneously, two notes.-

2. The method of operating a musical instrument having a single string, actuated by percussive elements from an ordinary keyboard, comprising, striking the string percussively, maintaining the percussive element in contact with the string, long enough after the moment of percussion to inhibit the vibration of the string as a whole, so as to cause the complementary parts of the spring determined by the point of percussive contact to emit, simultaneously, two notes, and during the period of percussive contact, striking'one of the complementary parts of said string with a second percussive element.

3. The method of operating a musical instrument having a single string, actuated by percussive elements from an ordinary keyboard, comprising, striking the string percussively, and maintaining the percussive ele ment in contact with the string, long enough after the moment of percussion to inhibit the vibration of the string as a whole, so as to cause the complementary parts of the string determined by the point of percussive contact to emit, simultaneously, two notes, and dam ing the vibration of one of the complementary parts of the string.

4. The method of operating a musical instrument having a single string, actuated by percussive elements from an ordinary keyboard, comprising, striking the string percussively, maintaining the percussive element in contact with the string, long enough after the moment of percussion to inhibit the vibration of the string as a- Whole, so as to cause the complementary parts of the string determined by the point of percussive contact to emit, simultaneously, two notes, and during the period of percussive contact, striking one of the complementary parts of said string with a second percussive element, and damping the vibration of that part of thestring which is not struck by the second percussive element.

5. The method of operating a musical instrument having a single string, actuated by percussive elements from an ordinary keyboard, comprising, striking the string percussively, maintaining the percussive element in contact with the string, long enough after the moment of percussion to inhibit the vi oration of the string as a whole, so as to cause the complementary parts of the string determined by the point of percussive contact to emit, simultaneously, two notes, and during the period of percussive contact, striking one of the complementary parts of said string with a second percussive element, and during the period of vibration of that part of the string struck by the second percussive element changing the vibration frequency of the string.

6. The method of operating a musical instrument having a single string, actuated by percussive elements from an ordinary keyboard, comprising, striking the string per cussively, maintaining the percussive elcment in contact with the string, long enough after the moment of percussion to inhibit the vibration of the string as a whole, so as to cause the complementary parts of the string determined by the point of percussive contact to emit, simultaneously, two notes, and during the period of percussive contact, striking one of the complementary parts of said string with a second percussive element, and damping the vibration oi that part of the string which is not struck by the second percussive element, and during the period of vibration of that part of the string struck by and to maintain said contact long enough.

to inhibit the vibration of the string as a whole, said elements being controlled by an ordinary keyboard, said elements beingarranged at such distances apart that their points of percussive contact. with the string produce a scale of notes from each of the complementary parts of said string when said percussive elements are successively actuated, and an additional percussive element adapted to act upon one of the )arts of said string while it is vibrating responsive tothe percussive contact of one of said selectively actuated percussive elements, for'influencing the sound produced by said part.

8. A musical instrument comprising a single string, including percussive elements arranged to make selective percussive contact at different points on said string and to maintain said contact long enoughto inhibit the vibration of the string as a whole, said elements being controlled by an ordinary keyboard, said elements being arranged at such distances apart that their points of percussive contact with the string, produce a scale of notes from each of the complementary parts of said string when said percussive elements are successively actuated, and an additional percussive element adapted to act upon one of the parts 01 said string while it is vibrating responsive to the percussive contact of one of said selectively actuated per cussive elements, for influencing the sound produced by said part, and a damper for muting the vibrations of the other part of said string.

9. A musical instrument comprising a single string, including percussive elements arranged to make selective percussive contact at different points on said string and to maintain said contact long enough to inhibit the vibration of the string as a whole, said elements being controlled by an ordinary keyboard, said elements being arranged at such distances apart that their points of percussive contact with the string produce a scale of notes from each of the complementary parts of said string when said percussive elements are successively actuated, and an additional percussive element adapted to act upon one of the parts of said string while it is vibrating responsive to the percussive contact of one of said selectively actuated percussive elements, for influencing the sound produced by said part, and means for varying the vibration frequency of the entire string.

10. A musical instrument comprising a single string, including percussive elements arranged to make selective percussive contact at different points on said string and to maintain said contact long enough-to inhibit the vibration of the string as a whole,- said elements being controlled by an ordinary keyboard, said elements being arranged at such distances apart that their points of percussive contact with the string produces a scale of notes from each of the complemen tary parts of said string when said percussive elements are successively actuated, and an additional percussive element adapted to act upon one of the parts of said string while it is vibrating responsive to the percussive contact of one of said selectively actuated percussive elements, for influencing the sound produced by said part, and a chamber for muting the vibrations of the other part of said string and means for varying the vibration frequency of the whole string.

11. A musical instrument comprising a sound box, a string tensioned with respect to said sound box, percussive elements adapted to be selectively applied to said string and so constructed as to maintain percussive contact with said string long enough to inhibit the vibration of said string as a whole and to cause the component parts of said string to vibrate with frequencies according to their length, said percussive elements being operated from a keyboard, and means for adjusting the tension of said string.

12. A device as claimed in claim 11, the tensioning means for said string comprising a lever actuated by the keys of said keyboard.

13. A device as claimed in claim 11, the vibrating string being of variable or progressively varying cross section from one end to the other thereof.

14. A device as claimed in claim 11, there being a plurality of sound boxes arranged to amplify the sound. 7

15. A device as claimed in claim 11, there being a plurality of parallel tensioned strings actuated by said percussive elements.

16. The method of operating a musical instrument having a single string, actuated by percussive elements from an ordinary keyboard, comprising, striking the string percussively, maintaining the percussive element in contact with the string long enough after the moment of percussion to inhibit the vibration of the string as a whole, so as to cause the complementary parts of the string determined by the point of percussive contact to emit, simultaneously, two notes and withdrawing the percussive element from the string while the said complementary parts thereof are independently vibrating, thereby permitting thestring as a whole to vibrate simultaneously with the vibrations of its said parts.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GEORGES GLOETENS. 

